Trial by memories
by Agafikuz
Summary: Hector Rivera is summoned to appear in front of the Court of Immortal Judges as a witness against his former friend Ernesto de la Cruz. This day the young musician will have to face not only the Justice of the Land of the Dead, but also his own almost forgotten memories.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hector Rivera is summoned to appear in front of the Court of Immortal Judges as a witness against his former friend Ernesto de la Cruz. This day the young musician will have to face not only the Justice of the Land of the Dead, but also his own almost forgotten memories.**_

There was a crowd around the Court Palace. The sound was so loud that it could be good heard at the city`s outskirts. As Pepita made an air-circle over it, Hector saw many flashing cameras that nearly blinded him. He was afraid of landing in the middle of this crowd. Both of them could easily be trampled.

However, after making a second circle Pepita suddenly flied in the entirely another direction. The crowd sounded disappointed.

"Wait", said Hector surprised, "We supposed to land here, didn`t we?"

"Do you want to have a chat with all these paparazzi?" asked Imelda turning to her husband.

"Hm, honestly no. But…"

"Sé tranquilo then. Everything goes by plan"

The giant cat landed herself between two somber houses. It was not too far from the Court Palace, they could still hear the crowd.

Imelda nimbly jumped down and looked around.

"Bueno", said she displeased, "Where are these two? They should be already here"

Before Hector could ask about the meaning of her words, a strange couple of skeletons appeared from one of the houses. Both were very tall, the same height. One of them wore a long crimson dress and a ribbon in his hair. The second was fastening suspender while walking. He also had a wide straw-hat.

"Sorry, Mama Imelda", said the skeleton in the dress, "It wasn`t easy to me to use a lipstick and eye shadow in the right way. I hope now my make-up doesn`t look too ugly"

"And I had to help this bungler", added the second skeleton sticking a goatee on his chin.

Suddenly Hector recognized them. He couldn`t hold himself from laugh.

"Oskar? Felipe? What you two going to do with such fancy dresses?"

The twins exchanged glances with each other.

"Do I look so stupid?" moaned Tio Oskar touching his female coiffure.

"Honestly… You do", nodded Tio Felipe, "No offense, hermano! We drew lots to choose who from us will be Imelda"

"Oskar and Felipe will distract the paparazzi`s attention", explained Imelda, "Not me neither you need cameras now"

"Sabes, Imelda", answered Hector unsure, "I don`t think the paparazzi are too stupid to confuse you with Oskar…"

"Si, but for the first time it will work. All you need to do", she said to her brothers, "is not to land too soon. Make some air-circle. Pepita likes it"

"Dios mio", whispered Oskar looking at the ferocious alebrije, "Good kitty…"

"Hey, guys", said Hector wishing to cheer up the twins, "It is scary only for the first time. Early I also hated the flying. But now I even love it"

"Of course, you do", grumbled Felipe climbing on the giant cat, "You are young. We not"

"What?! I`m almost thirteen years older than you two!" protested Hector, but Pepita already flied up carrying the twins.

The cat disappeared. Shortly after this, Hector and Imelda heard a cheerful cry of the crowd.

"Don`t mind!" said Imelda gently, noticing the Hector`s offended expression, "Sometimes Felipe is naughty. He was since his childhood…. We must hurry up, before the paparazzi reveal our deceive"

At the backdoor of the Court Palace a short bald skeleton in the glasses has already waited them. Together they entered the building.

Hector found himself walking through the long hall with very high deck that was supported by the Aztec pillars. Everywhere the visitors saw the bás-reliefs of the unknown gods. Seeing Hector`s interest the Clerk explained:

"The Court Palace was founded by Indians, but has been reconstructed many times. Haven`t been here before, señor Rivera?"

"Honestly, no", Hector shook his skull, "The Marigold Bridge was more interesting for me… Hm, and those Indians, they also used this place as a court?"

"Almost", evasively answered the Clerk, "You will see some of these Indians during the process".

"Talking about the process, what we supposed to do?" asked Imelda.

Hector sighed. He should asked that question first. But he would prefer to continue the talk about the Indians.

"Not too much", said the Clerk, "I will show you the room, where it takes place. Señor Rivera will be called to testify"

"Excuseme, señor", asked Hector carefully, "And Nesto… De la Cruz also will be there?"

"Of course, señor Rivera!" the Clerk sounded very surprised, "He is the main accused after all"

Hector had to admit that until this moment he was trying not to think about the trial and Ernesto. Some things happened at the last Dia de los Muertos seemed to be like a bad dream. One was the news about Ernesto`s betrayal. It turned out all this time his old friend didn`t tell about the true songwriter not because his boastfulness, but because the murder…

Hector winced. He should stop to think about de la Cruz as his old friend. At that night, that man showed his real face. He tried to kill Miguel.

"I don`t see any sense", Imelda shook her shoulders, "Now everything is clear. De la Cruz stole Hector`s songs. Sonner or later he will be forgotten"

"Sorry, I cannot agree with you, señora Rivera", objected the Clerk, "Your family enjoys authority in town Santa Cecilia, but you must admit that Santa Cecilia is not entire Mexico. Ernesto De la Cruz wasn`t the original songwriter, but he performed the songs, was the famous actor and the movie-director. In the Land of the Living he will stay remembered for a very long time"

"Tell me, por favor, what will happen to de la Cruz if his guilty is proved?" asked Hector trying to sound quiet.

"It is very serious", told the Clerk, "Execution threatens him"

"Wait, is it possible?" frowned Imelda "He is already dead"

"You are right, señora Rivera", agreed the Clerk, "But…"

At this moment, two police officers stepped at their way. They asked them to stop.

"What`s going on?" Hector sent the Clerk confused look.

"You should not worry", politely smiled the Clerk, "It will take few seconds, and then we will be allowed to go on"

Many police officers stood amongst the pillars. Suddenly on the wall appeared something like a screen. Everybody saw a little girl running on the field with flowers. Then it was a young women walking along an evening bay.

"The moments of life", explained the Clerk, "These must be showed to every condemned persons"

The echo of growling ran between the old Indian walls. It was a giant crocodile. He moved not slow and not too quickly. Ahead of his enormous muzzle dragged a skeleton woman. Long dark hair hid completely her face.

The whistle. The woman stopped. The crocodile too.

The woman on the screen soundless laughed and threw a stick. A spaniel ran after it. A handsome man stood next to the woman.

The condemned person raised her eyes and saw the picture. Her lips whispered something.

An officer pushed a brick and the wall disappeared. It turned in a doorway. Very bright light shined. Behind the door was something that looked like an Aztec pyramid. From nowhere the rhythmic music began to play.

The crocodile pulled his victim ahead.

Suddenly the woman screamed. The long loud scary wild scream.

The officers didn`t react. The crocodile pulled her again. She nearly felt.

Suddenly the woman broke into a run. Away from the doorway. Three officers blocked her way. She hesitated. The crocodile followed her. Very slow. Then, very quickly, the reptile hit her legs with his heavy muscular tail. She felt face down. Clumsily the woman stood up. Nobody helped or caught her. Just watched.

The woman looked around. Her eyes look crossed with Hector`s.

Now Hector could see, the woman had pretty features and big emotional eyes, brown and gold-tinged. Her wide chest breathed hardly.

Nobody waited it. The condemned ran toward Hector and caught his hand.

"I bet you….Por favour….Ayudeme!"

Her voice was deep, its owner could sing. Something romantic and passionate. In his songbook were a couple of songs that could perfectly pass her. Ernesto didn`t like them, and never performed. Maybe he found these songs too feminine.

The crocodile was reaching them. Faster and faster. Hector grabbed the woman and hid her behind his back.

"Hector, are you loco?" heard he Imelda`s cry.

The crocodile`s eyes were indifferent. Suddenly it jumped very high. In a twinkling, the reptile was behind Hector.

The woman`s scream. With aching angle, Hector lied on the floor. The crocodile carried the crying woman in his teeth in the doorway direction.

The uniformed hand touched roughly Hector`s shoulder. With unexpected energy, the young skeleton threw the hand off and ran through the doorway.

There was no roof. Under the open sky on the granitic ground stood the pyramid. Two figures in the Indians clothes stood at the top.

The woman trying to get herself free. After the last try, the crocodile tugged her too hard. Her clothes was ripped across on her chest.

Hector reached her and lent her a hand. She caught it. The crocodile raised in the air with his crying victim. Hector stood holding only her skeleton hand.

The crocodile threw its victim on the top of the pyramid. Hector saw the woman lifted up her hands. Her torn robe was blowing on the wind. Two Aztec skeletons seized her and laid on the stone table. One of them raised his hand with a knife in it.

At this moment, the ground next to the pyramid opened wide. Looking in the gape, Hector recognized it. An abyss divided The Land of the Dead from The Land of the Living. Many times he had tried to cross it along the Marigold Bridge. Now it was no Marigold Bridge. Only the bottomless abyss.

A strike. The last scream. The slender skeleton hand hold Hector`s hand very tight. Instinctively he rubbed it. Useless. The woman rolled down the pyramid. Down the steps. Gradually she turned into the heap of bones. Reaching the gap the bones started to glow.

The hand unclasped its fingers and felt down. Hector caught it, but it wasn`t the hand no more. Only the gold dust on his palms.

The same happened to the bones. When they were about to fall into the gape, they turned into the gold dust.

Hector kneeled. White robe. The hand lifted up. The voice….

An angel voice.

The Sunday morning. The church is full. Padre Ignacio plays the organ. Hermana Antonia conducts the chorus. The children all in the white robes sing Salve Regina. One of them stands on the bench. The sunrays are falling from the stained-glass window. It is almost impossible to see the child`s face. But nobody cares about the face, the voice is more important. The angel voice.

An old señor on the front bench is looking approvingly on the singing child.

The hymn comes slowly to its end. The last note belongs to the angel voice.

If it were in a concert hall, the chorus would get applauses. The parishioner are pleased. This child jumps down from the bench. He is a real godsend for Padre Ignacio`s chorus.

"Well done, mis niños!" praises Hermana Antonia. Not very loud because Padre Ignacio preaches already his Sunday sermon.

Then the young nun turns to the five-year old boy standing by her side and tugging her frock.

"Hermana Antonia, I al`o want to `tand on the bench next time!"

He evidently has a problem with the sound 's'.

"Why do you want it, niño mio?" asks Hermana Antonia surprised.

"If I will `tand on the bench, I will be beloved. Shomebody will adopt me"

"Lo siento, niño mio", smiled the nun tenderly, "It is impossible right now"

The little boy purses his lips.

"Why then?"

"See, I am beloved not because I am standing on this stupid bench, but because of my voice", the boy with the angel voice approaches the little boy and smirks, "And you need to learn to say `s` firstly, silly baby"

"Nesto", says Hemana Antonia to him reproachfully.

The 5-years old looks up at the chorus-singer. Then he steps forward very quickly and aggressively. The singer is watching the little boy with surprise on his face. Does this little one want to fight?

Yes, he wants. When this arrogant singer stood on the bench, he was the most beautiful thing on the Earth for the 5-year old. Now, when he stands by his side and makes laugh of him…he still is...

Instead of fighting, 5-year old bursts into tears.

"You`re bad! You`re bad, Ne`to!"

Crying, he pushes 9-years old Ernesto and runs from the church.

"Hector, wait!" he hears behind, "Hector!"…..

"Hector!"

Imelda sounded angrily. Standing between two huge police officers, Hector bended his skull on his chest. What could he say?

"Señora", said seriously one officer, "What has happened, is inadmissible. Your grandson…"

"He is not my grandson", interrupted Imelda low, but determined.

"Oh, I`m sorry. I mean, you son…"

"He is my husband"

The officers exchanged their glances confused.

"Now, let him free!"

Her voice was so imperious, that in few seconds Hector stayed without his "escort". Out of the corner of his eye, Hector saw the Clerk was explaining something to the officers, while Imelda was in rage:

"Tell me, Hector, are you really so fool, or just pretend?!"

"Imelda, I…"

"Silence! It was a rhetorical question! Do you think the fighting with that animal is funny and harmful? Maybe you think, it made fun for me or for Julio to sit beside your bed and to hear your moan?"

"No-no, Imelda…"

"I said, silence! It was a rhetorical question too! Or, maybe you want to have problems with the law?"

"Pero, Imelda!" exclaimed Hector in despair, "They wanted to kill her!"

And they did it. Her bones turned into the dust. Did it mean that in The Land of the Living the poor woman was immediately forgotten, or not? Had she a family, children?

"She was a criminal! Don`t you believe that the Court of Immortal Judges could take a wrong decision?"

"Pero what if they did?..."

"Señora Rivera is completely right", agreed the Clerk (it were no officers here anymore), "Believe me, señor Rivera, in comparison with that woman your former friend Ernesto de la Cruz is an angel with two wings"

Hector nodded. Rather mechanically than because of consent. The woman`s scream still sounded in his mind.

Meanwhile the Clerk looked on his watch on the chain.

"We need to hurry up. The court session will begin any minute"

"Well", growled Imelda, "Pero we will return to our talk yet, Hector. At home"

7


	2. Chapter 2 The Immortal Judges

The room where the court session took place was spacious and round. The walls represented the familiar figures of the Indian gods and the creatures. Some of them were hidden behind the crucifixes or the statues of Themis.

In the middle stood the quadrate platform with the wooden table on it. There were sitting The Immortal Judges. Two Indians, three conquistadors, four skeletons in suits, one in the black cassock with hood.

The room was full of skeletons. Many of them had cameras. And it was very noisy. At first, Hector and his companions were unnoticed.

The stone steps leaded down to the room`s floor. Hector was going downstairs as he turned his skull and suddenly saw Ernesto.

The former super-star sat in the iron cage that placed itself on another platform. Two gigantic toads guarded the cage… At least they resembled toad, but with the large-toothed jaws everywhere on their bodies.

One of the "toads" chattered with its entire teeth as Hector passed very close to the cage. But the young skeleton didn`t care about it too much. He stopped and looked attentively at Ernesto. Hector tried to catch his former friend`s look. Like then, on the backstage, after the musician threw Miguel down.

The toads were unpleased, that the young skeleton didn`t want to go away. They began to chatter louder and louder. The skeletons in the room noticed it.

"Who is that?"

"I suppose it is Hector Rivera"

"This young boy? Are you sure?"

"Nonsense! We have already seen this `Hector Rivera`. The odd old skeleton accompanied with another skeleton in the female dress. It is just new trickery!"

They spoke very loud. The toads didn`t stop to chatter. No reaction from Ernesto. He just continued to look forward without concentrating on anything. Hector noticed a plaster cast around Ernesto`s left arm. Maybe his indifference caused by pain? But it was all about his after-life and final death. How could he be so emotionless?

A photocamera flashed. Ernesto blinked and finally turned his skull in Hector`s direction. Hector swallowed nervously. His former friend`s eyes expressed nothing. Absolutely nothing. He acted like a dead man. Well, he was. But he wasn`t a corpse, anyway!

The various thoughts crowded in Hector`s mind. _What had happened to you, Nesto? You weren`t like this early_…

* * *

There is very quiet on the orphanage`s attic. The light falls from the little window. The tiny little boy sits on the floor and tries to play easy melody on a flute. The child did it for a rather long time and now is tired. But he must practice. If a man plays a flute for a long time, he won`t have any problems with `s`. Somebody told it to Hector and he believes in it.

"You sound not bad. For a baby like you".

Hector stops to play and turned around. Ernesto stand behind and observes him playing. Hector even didn`t hear as the chorus boy came up.

Knitting his brows Hector says:

"Ne`to, go away!"

"Come on, Hector, we need to talk"

"Go away, I _sh_aid!"

Hector throws the flute into him. The flute hits Ernesto right in the forehead. He makes a short cry and falls down. Then he lays moveless. Hector jumped up.

"Ne`to?"

No reaction. Hector`s heart booms painful. He rushes to the chorus boy and kneels beside him. Ernesto`s eyes are closed. A bump on his forehead. Hector trembles and rubs carefully Ernesto`s forehead.

"Boo!"

Ernesto jumps up pretending he wants to attack Hector. The mischievous smile on his lips.

"You fool!" cries Hector. The tears are rolling on his cheeks again.

"Ah, you crybaby…", sighs the chorus boy while crying Hector hugs him around Ernesto`s neck, "It seems you need a new flute"

The ill-fated flute lays beside them broken in half. Hector looks on his flute sadly. Hermana Antonia was completely right explaining the children that anger is mortal sin.

"How can I practi`e my `sh` now?" Hector sobs.

"I don`t think that playing on the flute would help you very much", Ernesto shakes his shoulders, "Anyway, tell me, why does it care you at all?"

"I want to be adopted. Like you"

"Ah, you speak about it again…"

Ernesto`s expression surprises Hector. Don Alejandro, the richest parishioner, wants to adopt this boy with the angel voice. In few days the new Papa will take him away. However the boy doesn`t look happy.

Ernesto moves away from Hector and starts to roll in his hand the broken flute as if he wants to connect its parts again.

"Hm, Ne`to?" says Hector carefully, "I thought… Maybe…", he musters up his courage and continues, "Maybe you can talk with you Papa? Maybe he will take u_sh _toget`er?"

"He is not my Papa!" cries Ernesto angrily, "He won`t replace for me mi Mama!"

In this sense Ernesto is lucky. Until he was six years old, he had Mama. He remembers her very well. Sometimes Hectors envies his friend. The five-years old knows almost nothing about his own parents. Some people are saying, one November night a pregnant Indian girl came to the church. She died few days after giving birth. True or false, the little boy doesn`t sure…

"By the way, this Don Alejandro is a really bad person", continues Ernesto in rage, "The only thing he cares is my voice and…"

It seems he wants to tell something else about this "bad person", but suddenly changes his mind.

"In general, I don`t want to be adopted"

"Pero, Ne`to…. Padre Igna_t_io gave already hi_sh_ agreement"

"I don`t care about Padre Ignacio or somebody else. This night I run away", says Ernesto quietly.

Hector opens his mouth surprised. He isn`t sure Ernesto speaks seriously.

"We will make it together, Hector"

The five-years old can`t believe his ears.

"Ne`to, are you joking?"

"No, Hector. Come on. Are you prefer to stay here forever?"

"Pero if _sh_omebody want` to adopt me?"

"And what if not? The world is wide. Imagine - how much we can do outside! For example, perform music together"

Hector is confused. He doesn`t like the orphanage. Some elder boys like to bully him. Ernesto protects him. The chorus boy is always so cheerful and strong. And always knows what to do. It is so scary for Hector to lose his friend.

"Ne`to, tell me…"

"Si, Hector?"

"If I _sh_ay `yes`, will you never leave me alone?"

"Cross my heart!"

Ernesto`s eyes shine. He already knows his little friend`s answer.

* * *

The court session began. A skeleton in the suit stood up and said:

"Señores, at the end of our last session we decided that we could not acknowledge señor de la Cruz`s guilt of the living boy`s murder. Because the murder did not really take place…"

"I bet you pardon!" exclaimed another Immortal Judge, in the cassock. His face was behind the hood, "It was another murder. Real murder. This villain killed the innocent young boy who just wanted to return home…"

Sitting on his place, Hector bent to the Clerk who sat next to him:

"Excuseme, señor, who are these skeletons?"

"The first one was the famous advocate in 50th", explained the Clerk, "The second one was the great missionary in the colonial time. He personally converted to Christianity all Indians he met on his way. They died being the good Catholics"

"Oh, verdad?"

"Si, he had to burn some of them to prevent their return to their old paganism"

Meanwhile the Great missionary told very loud:

"In the Book of Revelation we read: _And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held_…."

With these words everybody in the court room became very silence. Even the toads assumed an air of devoutness.

"_And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth_?"

The missionary raised his skeleton hand. At this moment everybody saw the screen. It was like the one with the condemned woman`s _moments of life_, but bigger. _Two little boys jumped careless in the river`s shallow water. Then two young boys sat in some dirty railway carriage among the cattle. They was holding their guitars and laughing at some joke. Then they performed in some cheap bar_. Hector`s invisible heart boomed. He remembered those moments. Suddenly Hector saw his own face in agony. _Then his body felt on the ground. Ernesto stood next to him doing nothing_.

Hector glanced at his former friend. Ernesto watched it too. With no emotions on his face. It seemed like it didn`t touch him at all. De la Cruz cared not.

"Just look at this soulless dead man!" the missionary cried, almost with pleasure. And he continued his speech, he condemned and revealed. Ernesto gave him a sidelong glance and smirked. Empty cold smirk. Ernesto`s lips whispered something. Unfortunately Hector couldn`t hear the words.

There were the new pictures on the screen. It showed Hector running into a door. The young skeleton`s heart boomed again. More than 90 years passed, but he remembered that day as if it was yesterday. Behind the door was a hall. There he met little Oskar and Felipe. Both boys stood together with a tall man. Hector saw only his back, but recognized him immediately. The screen was soundless. No matter. The memories kept each word…

"_Nesto!"_

_The man turned to him. In his large hands he held a bundle tied with a pink ribbon. _

"_You`re late, Hector!" said Felipe, "Imelda won`t be happy, when she knows!"_

"_The nurse thought Ernesto was the Papa", giggled Oskar._

_Hector didn`t mind their words. He reached his hands to the baby girl._

"_Ah, Dios mio…. Nesto, give me the baby"_

_Ernesto frowned and stepped away from the sixteen-year old Papa._

"_Hey, Nesto, it is my child! I`m Papa!" Hector protested._

"_Listen here, `Papa`", Ernesto sniffed cuddling the baby, "Your hand are trembling. Sit down first_"….

…On the screen living Hector was sitting on the floor with his newborn child. "_By the way you have a girl, Hector_"...

At this moment Hector felt that somebody was pushing him very strongly by his shoulder.

"Hector", Imelda hissed, "They call you. Go!"

"HECTOR RIVERA!"

Pressing his straw hat to his chest, Hector obediently went toward the Immortal Judges. It was a pulpit next to the platform. A police officer nodded to Hector and pointed at it.

As the young skeleton claimed upon it, another Immortal Judge began to speak. This one had an appearance of a Mayan king or priest.

"In your lifetime, your name was Hector Rivera, wasn`t it?"

Hector felt nervousness. For the first time of his entire existence he testified at the court. All eyes in the room were directed at him. The whispers rose again. Hector saw the fingers pointed at him. The only one who paid no attention to the young skeleton was the accused dead man. Ernesto still watched the screen. It seemed strange to Hector. If these picture actually weren`t disturbing for the former star, why he kept observing them?

"Witness, answer by the protocol!" demanded the sharp voice of the officer. That made Hector divert from his thoughts.

The Judge repeated his question about the witness`s name.

"Si", answered Hector, "In the orphanage they called me Hector. Then I took the surname of mi esposa".

"How long do you know Ernesto de la Cruz?" a conquistador continued.

"Since our childhood. We used to be like hermanos"

Another wave of whispers in the courtroom. At this moment, Ernesto finally favored Hector with his attention. These familiar gold tinged brown eyes. The very similar had that condemned woman. Nevertheless, in hers was dread of final death, his were quiet. What if his quietness is fake?...

"Hector Rivera, do you accuse Ernesto de la Cruz in your death?" asked the Great missionary.

"Eh…Hm… I…"

"Hector Rivera, for the God`s name, answer the question!"

There was a pressure in the voice of the Immortal Judge.

"I…I`m sorry… Excuseme, can I talk with Ne…. with señor de la Cruz first?»

The excitement in the courtroom. The surprised and angry voices all around. The Judge in the suit was calling everybody to order as the low deep voice said:

"I don`t think we need to talk, old friend"

6


	3. Chapter 3 The Decision

It worked much better than the commanding voices of the Judge or the police officers. In the courtroom reigned deathly silence. Even the Judges didn`t say a single word.

"Pero, Ernesto…" began Hector.

"See, Hector", Ernesto rubbed his broken arm (there were a chains around his arms and anklebones), "Everything I wanted to know from you, I already knew that night at México City. So don`t waste your and their time", with these words Ernesto nodded at the Judges.

Hector had been chocked by Ernesto`s formerly indifference, but it was nothing in comparison with the words like these.

"_Don`t waste my time_?! My time, did you said?!" cried Hector very angrily, "To your information, I barely had a wish to come here and see your traitorous face again!"

"Ah, so?" Ernesto tried to stand up, but the chains were too short, "Why do you wish to talk, then? No-no, don`t explain, I understand. Want to show how sympathetic and kind you are, aren`t you? In vain. I know you inside out"

"YOU BASTARD!" cried Imelda jumping up and pushing away the Clerk who was trying to calm her, "If there were my will, I would throw you into the abyss myself!"

Ernesto looked at her vicious. His first emotion for all this time. At that moment the toad shoved its muzzle between the cage rods and bit the accused into his skeleton leg. The former star uttered a constrained scream. From the different sides of the courtroom were heard the approval voices.

"CALM DOWN! RESPECT THE COURT!" demanded the Judge in the suit. Truly, he wanted to do it for a long ago, but had been stopped by the Great missionary.

As everybody became quiet, the missionary stood up again.

"Now you saw everything by yourself", said he mournful, "This sinner De la Cruz even does not regret. Also in afterlife, he still makes this joven inocente suffer. And Hector Rivera could live, reunion his wife, rise his little daughter…. But reality is cruel. He even has not a grave"

The approval voices again. Hector kept silence. Everything the missionary told was true. Ernesto caused all of this. This Ernesto who used his poems without even mentioning his name. This Ernesto who threw him and Miguel in the cenote. This Ernesto who poisoned him. This Ernesto who was sitting in the cage and who became emotionless again…

"Hector Rivera, my child, do you accuse Ernesto De la Cruz in your death?" asked the Great missionary again.

Hector was looking unwinking at his murder. The same was doing Ernesto. No anger, no fear. He just waited. Like Imelda. Like everybody in the courtroom. Hector understood that one word would be enough. Maybe some questions should stay unanswered. After all he went through, the young skeleton didn`t want to suffer again. Even mentally. By the way, the Court of the Immortal Judges didn`t make mistakes.

Hector made a deep breathe. He was ready to give his answer….

….."Si!"

Entering the Zapateria the first thing Papa Julio heard was his sister`s voice. Tia Rosita was sitting at the counter with the hill of papers and was speaking on the phone.

"Si, si, señor Fernandez, your order will be ready in…." hastily she burrowed in the papers, "In five days.. Oh, you are right, lo siento, it was the señora Domingo`s…. And yours… No, lo siento, señora Victoria Rivera is very busy now… I`ll find your order. Por favor, don`t worry!"

Julio starred at her a little bit surprised. Usually it was Victoria who answered the customer`s calls.

"Rosita, where is Vicky?" asked Julio as soon as Rosita hung up the receiver.

Rosita hesitated before she answered:

"She is in the living room, Julio. With Mama Imelda, twins and Hector. They have family council. You know, Victoria is always very useful in the family councils. Unfortunately, I couldn`t say the same about me"

"Wait. Have Mama Imelda and Hector already turned back? And how was the court session?"

Rosita assumed a shifty expression:

"See, Julio… Everything was very hard. Especially for Hector…."

"It is clear", frowned Julio, "I`m going to him… to them"

"Julio, no!" Rosita caught her brother`s hand.

"Por qué?"

It was Rosita`s turn to be surprised. Both, Rosita and Julio, knew since their youth what meant Imelda`s family councils. Both always tried to hold aloof. The family councils meant that something serious had happened. For example, the case when Imelda found a flute under the pillow of nine-year old Elena.

"Julio, Mama Imelda is upset… It would be better if…"

"Entonces, Rosita", said Julio, "You tell me nothing. I must sort it out by myself, then"

"Do what you want, Julio", sighed Rosita. Then she turned to table and took the cup with cacao, "I prepared it for the boy, he is very upset too, poor thing. Maybe you give it to him?..."

But there was no Julio in the Zapateria anymore….

Imelda looked through the window with her hands behind her back. The twins stood dropping their skulls. Hector sat lonely on the chair. Dante lied next to chair. Both of them had a tragic expression.

Victoria who joined the family council went across the room and sat on the sofa.

"Hola, everybody!" said she trying to sound optimistic.

"Hola, Victoria!" smiled Hector weakly.

"Oh, Victoria", Imelda turned to her granddaughter. Her voice was unexpected tender. That meant nothing good should been awaited, "It is so nice, you come. How was the orders?"

"I would say, pretty well", answered Victoria, "All was made in time. Doña Sol is satisfied. The only problem she is too curious. Wanted to know more about Hector… Papa Hector"

"Si, there is nothing strange about it", this time the angry note were heard in her tender voice.

"Of course", Tio Felipe shook his shoulders, "Very soon the songs will be composed about our Hector"

His brother pushed him by his elbow.

"Hey!" protested Felipe, "I only wanted to relieve the tension"

"Anyway, what has happened?" wondered Victoria, "What is with De la Cruz?"

Instead of the answer, Hector hid his face in his palms.

"The Court found him guilty", said Imelda low.

Victoria nodded and glanced at her grandfather. His shoulders trembled a little bit.

"The punishment waits for him, isn`t it?" asked Victoria.

"Sure. Very cruel punishment", with these words Imelda was slowly stepping toward her husband, "During hundred years De la Cruz the Great must pay a great amount in the charitable fund for Dead Jovenes".

Hector rose his skull from his palms. His brown eyes were dry. Simultaneously Imelda continued:

"He is also prohibited to give concerts for ten years"

Dante uttered the whimper and cuddled up to his master`s leg.

"It is not all, of course. Each Thursday a catholic priest comes to De la Cruz and holds with him an edifying conversation", Imelda forced to smile, "Hector, I think, the last one will be very painful to your old friend. You said, he disliked the priests since his childhood"

Twins and Victoria exchanged the chocked glances.

"Pero why his punishment is so soft?!"

"Do you want to know this, mijita?"

Imelda caught Hector by his chin and made him to look direct in her eyes.

"Because your dear little abuelito refused to accuse miserable Ernesto. He said he had no complaint!"

"Pero, Imelda, Ernesto got suspended sentence", Hector moved away rashly and lost his balance. Imelda didn`t set his chin free. As result she held his skull while Hector`s whole body felt down with the chair.

Victoria and twins without an arrangement moved in his direction, but Imelda stopped them with a gesture.

"Don`t worry, mis niños, with or without a head, it makes no difference for our beloved musician. He thinks by means of another body part"

"Imelda, por favor", Hector`s body was following Imelda with his arms outstretched, "I know it is very hard to understand, but…. let me explain everything"

He tried to take his skull back, while Imelda deftly turned on her heels still holding her trophy in front of her own face.

"Tell me, Hector, puede ser Ernesto was right? Are you too sympathetic and kind? Do you believe one day this killing rascal will run to you all in tears and will bet you to forgive him?!"

She roughly pushed away her husband`s body again. And lifted his skull above her head.

"How could you show mercy to our family`s enemy, man?!"

Right at this moment the doored rashly opened. In the doorway stood Papa Julio.

"Lo siento, Mama Imelda, pero it is urgent!"

"It can wait, Julio", said Imelda angrily.

"I don`t think so. It`s about Don Ronaldo"

It caught Imelda attention. However, she didn`t let Hector to take his skull back.

"What`s with Don Ronaldo, Julio?"

"He…His favorite boots torn again"

"Dios mio!" Imelda rolled up her eyes, "They are too old even for the Land of Dead. Why didn`t he order the new ones?"

"You know him", Julio shook his shoulders, "He demands for home service. I need somebody to assist me"

"Take Victoria", said Imelda shortly.

"No, the box with instruments is too heavy for her"

"Then, take Oskar or Felipe"

"Ah, Mama Imelda, you know what he thinks about both of them"

"This Don Ronaldo is an old mean grumbler!" sniffed Felipe, "Still can`t forgive us a little stink bomb in his bath"

"Ah, that is the reason why he dislikes you, Tios!" exclaimed Victoria.

"We were eight-year old", sighed Oskar, "And he was still alive"

"Mama Imelda, Hector would be very useful for this work", said Julio.

Imelda looked suspiciously at her son-in-law.

"You know, Julio, if I didn`t know you so good, I`d think you try to help Hector to escape his punishment"

Julio shook his skull intensively. Too intensively.

Few minutes Imelda kept silence. Finally, she said:

"Well, Julio, I trust you. And entrust _this_"

He threw Hector`s skull in the air. The skull uttered a frightened scream.

"Got it!" smiled Julio catching the skull, "Don`t panic, Hector! I was the best ball-player in entire Santa-Cecilia. Come with me now. You too, Dante"

After Julio, Hector and Dante left the living room, Imelda took a deep breath and folded her arms.

"He is too kind", she whispered.

"Si, this is Papa", agreed Victoria reaching her grandmother.

"I mean not Julio, but Hector", said Imelda and turned to the window again, without any further words. The anger still lacerated her chest.

To be continued….

5


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